Playback zone management

Abstract

Some embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods include displaying a graphical user interface comprising a first section and a second section, wherein the first section includes a first media icon corresponding to a first media item, and wherein the second section includes a first zone icon corresponding to a first zone comprising a first set of one or more playback devices; and in response to detecting a drag of the first media icon to the first zone icon, instructing at least one playback device in the first set of one or more playback devices to play the first media item corresponding to the first media icon.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A control device comprising:
 a display; 
 at least one processor; and 
 at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the control device is configured to: 
 display a graphical user interface comprising a first section and a second section, wherein the first section corresponds to a first set of one or more playback devices and the second section includes a set of one or more media item indications corresponding to media items available for playback by the first set of one or more playback devices; 
 detect a first input comprising a drag of a media item indication out of the second section and to the first section of the graphical user interface, wherein the media item indication corresponds to a media item to be added for playback by the first set of one or more playback devices; 
 based on the first input: (i) display, in the first section, a media item representation corresponding to the media item, and (ii) cause the media item to be added for playback by the first set of one or more playback devices; 
 detect a second input comprising a drag of the media item representation out of the first section of the graphical user interface; and 
 based on the second input, cause the first set of one or more playback devices to forgo playing back the media item. 
 
     
     
       2. The control device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 causing the media item to be added for playback by the first set of one or more playback devices comprises causing the first set of one or more playback devices to play back the media item. 
 
     
     
       3. The control device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second input comprises a drag of the media item representation out of the first section and to a third section of the graphical user interface, wherein the third section corresponds to a second set of one or more second playback devices. 
 
     
     
       4. The control device of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions such that the control device is configured to, based on the second input, cause the media item to be added for playback by the second set of one or more second playback devices. 
     
     
       5. The control device of  claim 4 , wherein:
 causing the first set of one or more playback devices to forgo playing back the media item comprises causing the first set of one or more playback devices to transfer a stream corresponding to the media item to the second set of one or more second playback devices; and 
 causing the media item to be added for playback by the second set of one or more second playback devices comprises causing the second set of one or more second playback devices to continue playback of the stream. 
 
     
     
       6. The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of one or more playback devices comprises at least one first playback device and at least one second playback device grouped for synchronous playback. 
     
     
       7. The control device of  claim 1 , wherein the media item representation is displayed as part of a status bar of the first set of one or more playback devices. 
     
     
       8. The control device of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises program instructions such that the control device is configured to:
 while the first set of one or more playback devices is playing back the media item, detect an input on the status bar of the first set of one or more playback devices; and 
 based on the input, cause the first set of one or more playback devices to stop playing back the media item. 
 
     
     
       9. The control device of  claim 8 , wherein the input comprises a tap. 
     
     
       10. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause a control device to perform functions comprising:
 displaying, via a display of the control device, a graphical user interface comprising a first section and a second section, wherein the first section corresponds to a first set of one or more playback devices and the second section includes a set of one or more media item indications corresponding to media items available for playback by the set of one or more playback devices; 
 detecting a first input comprising a drag of a media item indication out of the second section and to the first section of the graphical user interface, wherein the media item indication corresponds to a media item to be added for playback by the first set of one or more playback devices; 
 based on the first input: (i) displaying, in the first section, a media item representation corresponding to the media item, and (ii) causing the media item to be added for playback by the first set of one or more playback devices; 
 detecting a second input comprising a drag of the media item representation out of the first section of the graphical user interface; and 
 based on the second input, causing the first set of one or more playback devices to forgo playing back the media item. 
 
     
     
       11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein:
 causing the media item to be added for playback by the first set of one or more playback devices comprises causing the first set of one or more playback devices to play back the media item. 
 
     
     
       12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the second input comprises a drag of the media item representation out of the first section and to a third section of the graphical user interface, wherein the third section corresponds to a second set of one or more second playback devices. 
 
     
     
       13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , further comprising program instructions such that the control device is configured to, based on the second input, cause the media item to be added for playback by the second set of one or more second playback devices. 
     
     
       14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein:
 causing the first set of one or more playback devices to forgo playing back the media item comprises causing the first set of one or more playback devices to transfer a stream corresponding to the media item to the second set of one or more second playback devices; and 
 causing the media item to be added for playback by the second set of one or more second playback devices comprises causing the second set of one or more second playback devices to continue playback of the stream. 
 
     
     
       15. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the first set of one or more playback devices comprises at least one first playback device and at least one second playback device grouped for synchronous playback. 
     
     
       16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the media item representation is displayed as part of a status bar of the first set of one or more playback devices. 
     
     
       17. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising program instructions such that the control device is configured to:
 while the first set of one or more playback devices is playing back the media item, detect an input on the status bar of the first set of one or more playback devices; and 
 based on the input, cause the first set of one or more playback devices to stop playing back the media item. 
 
     
     
       18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the input comprises a tap. 
     
     
       19. A method to be performed by a control device, the method comprising:
 displaying, via a display of the control device, a graphical user interface comprising a first section and a second section, wherein the first section corresponds to a first set of one or more playback devices and the second section includes a set of one or more media item indications corresponding to media items available for playback by the first set of one or more playback devices; 
 detecting a first input comprising a drag of a media item indication out of the second section and to the first section of the graphical user interface, wherein the media item indication corresponds to a media item to be added for playback by the first set of one or more playback devices; 
 based on the first input: (i) displaying, in the first section, a media item representation corresponding to the media item, and (ii) causing the media item to be added for playback by the first set of one or more playback devices; 
 detecting a second input comprising a drag of the media item representation out of the first section of the graphical user interface; and 
 based on the second input, causing the first set of one or more playback devices to forgo playing back the media item. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 causing the media item to be added for playback by the first set of one or more playback devices comprises causing the first set of one or more playback devices to play back the media item.